Vulnerable
by Katheryn Mae
Summary: To love is to be vulnerable. C.S. Lewis - “I was feeling vulnerable, he’s a friend, and I leaned on him.” Cuddy – 5x07 A different take on the ending of Joy. HUDDY.


AN: House is a little OOC since I had a certain idea in mind, and it didn't fit him if he was completely in character. Also, it's not a smut scene, but there's a definite hint that if this was an M rated fic, there would totally be smut.

Vulnerable 

_To love is to be vulnerable. (C.S. Lewis)_

"_I was feeling vulnerable, he's a friend, and I leaned on him." (Cuddy – 5x07)_

Pulling up in front of his apartment, House shut off the engine and sat, replaying the lat ten minute's events over in his head. He drummed his fingers on the handlebars, torn between going into his apartment or back to Cuddy's. Putting the key back in the ignition, he pulled away, and retraced the route he had just made.

Sinking onto the couch, Cuddy closed her eyes, running a finger along her lips, sighing. She curled on the couch, pulling a blanket over her shoulders and relaxing as few tears slipped down her cheeks. _He's House, _she told herself; _that kiss meant nothing to him. Why do I expect him to care about me like I do for him? He won't change; he won't be able to love me, why do I keep waiting for him to change? _Just about comfortable, she groaned as the doorbell rang. Getting up, she pulled the blanket around her shoulders and opened it.

"House?" She looked up, expecting him to kiss her again. "What is it?"

"I … I'm sorry," he began awkwardly, "Tonight, can we just forget it?"

"Why? We don't have to tell anyone."

"Why wouldn't you want to forget it?"

"Why do you keep answering my questions with another one?"

"Because," Cuddy leaned against the door, "Are you coming in or not?" House stepped in, looking around the room and then to her, noticing the tear stains on her cheeks, before closing the door behind him. "Why did you do it?" She asked, turning away from him and flicking off her front porch lights, "Why did you kiss me?"

"I don't know," he responded, "honestly. Why do you want to know?"

"Because I have a right to know why you kissed me."

"Because you were there, and I was here," House stood a few inches from her, "And, it seemed like the right thing to do." He leaned down, kissing her lips gently, "Doesn't it?"

"Not always."

"'Not always?' What do you mean by that?"

"It didn't fit a few seconds ago, when you just kissed me. It made sense earlier," she stopped, "Or at least to me, it did."

"It made sense to me too," House cupped her chin his hand and tilted her face towards him, kissing her deeply. Cuddy wrapped her arms around his neck and felt herself loose her balance slightly as his arms tightened around her waist. His hands slipped under the back of her sweater and rested on her skin, against the small of her back. She brought one hand forward to his face and pulled back, keeping her hand there, and she leaned against his weight.

"That made sense too," Cuddy whispered and she looked up into his eyes, "Stay the night, please."

He nodded slowly, kissing her cheek, "I'd best go move my bike into your driveway, do you mind?"

"Of course not," she smiled, stretching up on her toes and kissing his lips. House smiled at her touch and went outside, pulling his motorcycle into her driveway and parking it besides the grass. He tucked his helmet under one arm and swung his backpack over his shoulder, making his way back into the house. Setting the helmet on the floor inside the front door, he dropped his bag on the living room couch.

"Cuddy?" He looked into the kitchen, quickly, "Where are you?"

"Bedroom," she called and he limped down the hallway, cracking open her door. He stepped inside the room and made his way towards her, kissing her cheek, a smile on her lips.

"Eager are you?" He wrapped his arms around Cuddy's waist and kissed her passionately again, his cane falling to the floor besides them. Her hands caught his jacket and she tugged it off him, depositing it on the floor at their feet. She reached forwards, undoing the top two buttons on his blazer, but stopped when his hands caught hers. "Are you sure you want this? You might regret it in the morning," he stopped as she pulled the blazer off him and slipped her hands under his shirt, resting them on his chest. Kissing her forehead, House breathed a sigh of relief as realization dawned on him; luckily Cuddy had already changed into her pajamas.

She grasped his shirt, tugging it off him, and tossed it besides his blazer and jacket. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his arms, allowing her to rest her head on his chest. Instead, she pulled back and her hands dropped to his jeans and her fingers tapped the button. Leaning forwards, House captured Cuddy's lips with his own and after a few moments, they tumbled backwards onto her bed, wrapped in each other's arms.

The light shone into the room, and onto the two sleeping figures on the bed. Cuddy's leg was twined with House's and her hands rested on his chest. His left arm was around her shoulders and his right rested on her hip. Her head rested on his chest and his on the pillow above hers. The chorus to "Dancing Queen" sounded throughout the house and they both blinked open their eyes. Rolling over, House reached for the phone and opened it.

"Make it quick," he snapped, annoyed that Cuddy had rolled from his arms and was now tying a bathrobe around herself, "Or not."

"Where are you?" Wilson asked, still half asleep and slurping his coffee loudly.

"That's none of your business," he leaned against the headboard, Cuddy snuggling back into his arms, her head on his shoulder.

"Are you at Cuddy's?" The realization dawned on Wilson, "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," Cuddy grabbed the phone from House, "Don't worry about him, he's fine."

"Obviously, he probably had a good night." Wilson said loud enough for House to hear him, Cuddy blushed.

"Oh sure, believe that and you'll believe that you can fly."

"I can fly?" He asked excitedly, evidently believing that House and Cuddy had sex the night before.

"No you moron," Cuddy put the phone on speaker, "Why did you call us at seven-thirty?"

"The team needs you House."

"My boss needs me more." He snapped, earning a kiss on the lips from her and the sound of a coffee mug breaking as Wilson dropped it.

"You two are … together?" He asked, moping up the coffee nosily.

"One usually implies that after a night together and mutual feelings." House shrugged, "Tell the team that I'll be there whenever Cuddy here gets her ass out of bed and we can go."

"Then let go of me," she hissed in his ear as he tightened his grip on her waist, "And, _don't _tell the team that." She added to Wilson, who agreed. "We'll see you later Wilson."

"Bye you two." The phone clicked and Cuddy leaned over, kissing House's lips again.

"You're a great friend," she whispered against his lips, laughing at the look of shock on his face.

"Friend? Wh – _what_?" He stuttered slightly, "I just gave you the best night of your life and I'm a _friend_? I'm a friend with benefits." He smirked at her, "Or a friend slash employee slash boyfriend."

"Fine, boyfriend-ployee." Cuddy laughed at her own words, "Love you House."

House hesitated slightly, "I love you too."


End file.
